


Fresh Snow

by ddagent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Romance, Sex, Snow, Snowballing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2013-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 06:44:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing made Belle happier than snow. Whether it be the crunch, the feel, or the fact she got to spend time with her favourite person in the world, nothing was better than snow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ten

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bottledspirits](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledspirits/gifts).



> I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters, or its settings - all belongs to the lovely folks at ABC.
> 
> [This story does contain young!Belle crushing on an adult Gold. Nothing is reciprocated till she's 18. If you have any issues with this, I would suggest your perhaps avoid]
> 
> This is for the Rumbelle Secret Santa, my prompt for the awesome bottledspirits being "Belle looks forward to snow". I really hope you enjoy it! Happy Holidays my dear.

Nothing made Belle happier than the first layer of snow on the ground. Snow wasn’t something she had seen much of in Australia, so moving to Maine had been quite an experience. She loved the crunch of it under her boots, loved the feel of it through her gloves. She loved the way it stuck to her brown curls as it fell from the sky. But most of all she loved the way it made everything white and fresh. A new Storybrooke created with every fresh flurry.

 

One bright morning, Belle looked out her window to find the first snowfall of the season. The next thing she saw was a small figure in a red snow coat run up her garden path and throw a snowball at her front door. Ruby peered out from under her hood and grinned. “Come on Belle!”

 

Taking care that she didn’t break anything, Belle raced to get dressed. She put her blue coat on as she went down the stairs, her eyes looking everywhere for her scarf and gloves. Belle ran into the kitchen where her Papa was putting bread into the toaster. “Papa, have you seen my gloves?”

 

Her father grinned as he pointed to where she had left them the night before after putting the new wreath on the door. “Be careful out there with Ruby, Belle. I don’t want you to come back with skinned knees. Or frost bite!”

 

Giggling, Belle stood on one of the kitchen chairs to kiss her father on the cheek. “I’ll be fine, Papa. Have fun at the shop!”

 

With a wave, Belle grabbed her gloves and headed towards the front door. As she undid the latch a snowball flew through the air and hit the glass panel just above her head. Ruby giggled, her hands already reaching out for more snow to throw. Belle managed to jump out of the way and get enough snow together to hit Ruby first.

 

After a quick snowball fight in Belle’s garden the two girls headed for the park to play with the rest of their friends. Ashley was making snow angels; Emma was throwing snowballs at the Sheriff’s car. Ruby and Belle started building a snowman, stealing August’s scarf when he threw a snowball at Emma’s face. Eventually it got a little too cold and they decided to go to Granny’s for hot chocolate.

 

That day they went a different way home from the park, walking down a street with houses looming either side. All of them looked beautiful covered in snow, all of them decked out with Christmas lights. All but one.

  
“Ruby, who lives there?” Belle asked, pointing to the lone house that bore no decorations, not even a wreath.

 

Her friend wrinkled her face in disgust. “That’s Mister Gold’s house. You must have heard of Mister Gold by now, right? He’s the mean old man who runs the pawn shop near Granny’s.”

 

Belle had heard one or two people mention him, mostly her father when she overheard him talking about rent. She’d never met him though. “Why doesn’t he have any decorations up?”

 

“He hates Christmas. One time, he told Granny he would double the rent if we put tinsel up.” Ruby tugged at her hand, leading her away from the house. “Come on, Belle, that house gives me the creeps.”

 

She trailed behind her friends but Belle couldn’t help but turn her head just before the house went out of sight. She swore she saw the curtains twitch. 


	2. Fourteen

“Bye Papa!”

 

A ‘be careful’ followed her out of the front door but the sound was soon lost in the crunch of the snow under her boots. It was one of the best sounds in the world, a sound Belle had missed over the preceding months. It didn’t matter how many years passed, whether she be ten or fourteen, Belle still awaited the first flurry of snow with joy.

 

Once out of the house she ran to the park as quickly as she could, smiling at the sight of so many children having snowball fights and playing with their sleds. But Belle couldn’t see any of her friends. After a while she gave up and trundled to Granny’s where she found them all. Ruby was tucked up in a scarlet jumper, her nose as red as the streaks in her hair. Ashley was talking with her new boyfriend Sean over hot chocolate. Emma was having a thumb war with David Nolan.

 

Sliding onto one of the stools, Belle smiled at Ruby standing behind the counter. “First snow of the season!”

 

She expected a wide grin, not the eye roll she received. “I know, isn’t it awful? I nearly slipped over getting here. I seriously cannot wait for summer again. Hot chocolate?”

 

“Sure.”

 

As Ruby turned to put the coffee machine on, Belle looked around Granny’s, taking in all her friends who used to be so eager to play out in the snow. The idea that they would outgrow it had never even occurred to her. Maybe they’d play out nearer Christmas; perhaps they’d have a snowball fight on the way back from the Winter Dance. But for now there would be no first fall of the season, no snowman army. No snowball hitting her front door as soon as the sun came up.

 

After she finished her hot chocolate, Belle left Granny’s alone. She wanted to walk in the snow for a while, hear that crunch under her boots and feel the powder between her fingers. She wanted to summon up a little of the joy that the first snow of the season usually brought.

 

Eventually Belle found herself outside Mister Gold’s house. Like always, it was the only house without decorations. Her father had given him a wreath last year but Belle had never seen it adorn his door. It was a tradition to display a wreath. Like the first snow of the season, like sledding down into the forest, like building a half snowman with the last of the snow.

 

Feeling the disappointment well up inside her, Belle reached for the snow above the post box. She moulded it into her hands and threw it as hard as she could, the snow colliding with the upper window of Gold’s house.

 

She had just turned to walk away when she heard the window open. “Hey, you! Come back here now or I will call the Sheriff!”

 

Looking back, Belle saw Mister Gold hanging out of the window with a face like thunder. She couldn’t face her father’s disappointment if Deputy Humbert had to deliver her home. So she walked back to Gold’s house, the crunch of the snow feeling more like the soundtrack to her walk to the gallows. When she got to the steps leading to the porch she found him standing in the doorway. He looked confused when he realised it was her.

 

“You’re the French girl. I didn’t expect such behaviour from you.”

 

Belle just shrugged, keeping her eyes to the ground. “I’m sorry, Mister Gold. It won’t happen again. Please don’t call the Sheriff. I’ll do anything, but please don’t call him.”

 

Pleas usually landed on deaf ears with Gold. But not today. “I need help dusting some of the books in my library. Give me a few hours of your time and I won’t call the Sheriff.”  Library? Mister Gold had a library? Belle immediately bobbed her head, accepting his proposition.

 

As she ran up to the porch, Belle finally got to meet Mister Gold. She’d never seen him properly before. A few glimpses when he came for the rent, a side profile as she hid behind a garbage can while he was yelling at Emma. He was a slight man; not much to his frame. His hair was greying at the temples and he carried a cane in his hand. His suit probably cost more than Belle’s entire wardrobe. His eyes were warmer than she had expected; a dark brown that almost seemed to glint in the light.

 

Belle gave him a brief smile as she ducked past him into his home, trying to hide her blushing cheeks. She’d never expected the town Grinch to be so handsome.

 

\--

 

“Take your shoes and coat off by the door; I don’t want you tracking snow into my house.”

 

Belle nodded as she shrugged off her blue coat and shoes. She hung up her coat where Gold pointed and put her shoes on the rack just below it. Her eyes then travelled around Gold’s home, marvelling at the warmth of the place. She had expected it to feel cold but it was anything but.

 

“Come on, the library is upstairs.”

 

There were no photographs covering his walls like there was in her own home, only paintings. Each door was solid wood and closed shut, all but the last. That was the library, with a couple of leather backed armchairs and a large window overlooking the snow covered garden. But Belle’s eyes were overwhelmed by the sheer number of books in the room. Storybrooke’s library had been closed forever and the school library was a _bookshelf_ compared to this.

 

“I’ve never seen so many books before.”

 

“There’s a duster on that table. Do as many shelves as you can before it gets dark and I’ll determine whether you have to come back tomorrow. I will not tolerate vandalism; do you understand me Ms French?”

 

Belle nodded, trying to hide her delight at being stuck in such a beautiful room. “Yes, Mister Gold.”

 

He left her alone to dust, closing the door just to. Belle turned her attention to the first shelf of books, sliding each volume out so she could dust underneath it. This was a much better prospect than being stuck in the Sheriff’s station. It was definitely a much better idea than trawling through the streets trying to recapture old traditions. She loved books just as much as she loved snow. She loved the smell of the pages, the leather. She adored the feel of the bindings, the sensation of running her fingers down the spine. She wondered if Gold realised this was more reward than punishment.

 

Belle didn’t even notice the thin light in the room until Gold entered with a tea tray. He deposited it on the table before pouring them both a cup. He gestured for Belle to take hers. Such a pretty cup with such a lovely blue design.

 

“An adequate job dusting, Ms French. However I still think we might have to get the Sheriff involved.”

 

She only realised she had dropped the tea cup when she heard Gold’s sharp intake of breath. Belle looked down to see tea seeping into the carpet and the cup lying at an odd angle. She immediately picked it up, wanting to cry when she saw the quite noticeable chip out of the rim.

 

“It was just a quip, dear. Not intended to be serious.”

 

Belle nodded, his words not registering. Gold would probably add the damage to her father’s rent, and that was the last thing her father needed right now. “Oh I’m so sorry, Mister Gold! It’s chipped, just a little. I mean, you can barely see it.”

 

She finally met his eyes, not expecting to find any warmth there. But for the first time all day Belle truly felt warm. “It’s just a cup.”

 

Gold extended his hand to take it. He surveyed the damage for a moment before pouring some more tea into it. He handed Belle the unchipped one and kept the damaged one for himself. “Wouldn’t want you to cut yourself. The shelves do look…adequate. Thank you.”

 

Belle managed a weak smile. She was still unsure what bad luck was going to befall her next. “It’s the least I can do after I threw a snowball at your window.”

 

“Bad day, hmm?” Gold asked, putting a spoonful of sugar in his tea. “I expected such antics from Ms Lucas or Ms Swan. But not from you. I always got the impression that you were more intelligent, more respectful.”

 

“I was just…it’s silly.”

 

“Try me.”

 

She swallowed, her hands clinging to the cup. “It’s the first snow of the season. I used to love playing out in it till I got too cold or too wet. All my friends would do the same. We’d spend _hours_ out there.” She laughed, embarrassed about her next words. “No one wanted to come out and play today.”

 

When she looked up at him, she found Gold’s hand curled against his mouth, trying to stop his laughter. “You know, I’m starting to think you deserved that snowball against your window.”

 

That at least got him to shut up. “You misunderstand me, Ms French. I was laughing because I found the circumstances amusingly coincidental. When I was about your age I always used to enjoy the first snow of the season. I’d stay out until it was dark, until I was practically frostbitten.”

 

“I like the crunch of the show. The sound it makes as the boots go in.”

 

His smile was unexpected but Belle liked it. It lit up his whole face. “I always liked the feel of it against my hands. I never used to wear gloves. I’d spend the rest of the night clutching a hot water bottle for dear life.”

 

“Does the first snow still feel the same now that you’re old? I mean, older?”

 

He thought about it for a moment, but eventually he nodded. “It changes. For a while it felt like something I had to keep to myself. I’d just go for long walks when it snowed, or I’d play with it in the back garden. When I had my son, though, the first snow meant so much more.” Gold reached for his cup and took a sip, retreating back into the armchair. “Just don’t take out your aggression on any more of my windows, I beg of you.”

 

“Yes, Mister Gold.”

 

They sat in silence, both of them sipping their cups of tea. For a man who kept to himself, he’d been quite open with her. Belle had never heard of Mister Gold having a son, or having really anyone in his life. She decided not to push it, not wanting to upset him. But she had enjoyed her time in his home, both the cleaning and the talking. But the darkening sky outside told Belle that she had to leave.

 

“I should go, Mister Gold. Thank you for the tea.”

 

He nodded, standing up when she stood. “You’re very welcome. It was a pleasure, Ms French. But don’t make a habit of it.

 

His smile as she left made her stomach twist and Belle beamed as she bounced down the stairs. Despite a rough start to her day, things had only grown better. She hoped she would get to have tea with him again. As she walked out of Gold’s house and down the path, Belle looked up into the house. The curtains fell back into place just as a second covering of snow began to fall.

 

\--

 

With each passing snowfall, Belle grew more and more frustrated with her friends. The most they came now to playing in the snow was a sly snowball thrown on the way home from the movies. Belle tried Gold’s suggestion of taking long walks in the snow after school. The crunch was still the same, but Belle missed the company.

 

More often than not Belle found herself walking past Gold’s house. She’d gaze up into the windows and wonder what he was doing, whether he was sitting in his library or out in his garden, playing with the snow. She longed to be invited back inside, although in the time since her first visit she had never gathered up the courage to knock. One morning, after a fresh layer of snow, Belle made it all the way to the front door. Her hand was raised but still she couldn’t knock. On the way back down the steps she kicked the brickwork of his house, chipping the paint.

 

“Really, my dear, do you have to vandalise my property _every_ time you pass?”

 

Belle looked to the front door where Gold was framed in the doorway. He looked more handsome than Belle remembered. She tried not to blush, tried not to appear too eager as she climbed back up the steps. “Good Morning, Mister Gold.”

 

He glared at her, but Belle could see a glint in his eye. “Don’t ‘good morning’ me, dear. There are shelves that need dusting.”

 

Trying to appear as if she was being punished, Belle walked solemnly into his home. But inside she raced to kick off her boots and tug off her coat. Gold nudged her in the direction of the stairs and she ran immediately up them to the library. It was still as beautiful as she remembered, with each volume sitting happily on its shelf and the window outside showing off the garden filled with snow.

 

Before she began to dust, Gold entered with a tea tray. She was surprised to see the cup she had chipped there and still unfixed. She reached for it, assuming that Gold didn’t want to risk her with any more china. But Gold wrapped his fingers around it before she could take it. He gestured for her to sit down while he poured the tea.

 

“Not out with your friends on such a lovely Sunday morning?” Gold asked, pouring milk into his cup.

 

Belle sighed, claiming the jug when he was done. “Ruby has to work, Emma’s in Boston for the weekend and Ashley has homework. No one to hang out with.”

 

“So you decided to kick my wall instead, hmm?”

 

“I thought you could use the incentive to repaint it.”

 

She expected a verbal dressing down, not the gruff chuckle from the wingback chair. “Well you best get to work, dear. Lots of shelves, lots of dust. Need to make up for that chipped paint somehow”

 

Belle grinned, eager to get started. Now that she had someone in the room with her, Belle asked after every volume: how old was it, where did he get it, what was it about. He ignored her for the first few questions but then decided to humour her. Belle spent more time talking than dusting and it was only when Gold departed once more for the kitchen that Belle realised just how much time had gone by.

 

When Gold returned he came bearing tea and ham sandwiches. She picked herself up off the floor and returned to the other chair. “You have a beautiful collection.”

 

“Thank you, Ms French. It’s taken me some years to amass but I’m quite proud of it.”

 

Taking a sandwich from the offered plate, Belle asked, “Does your son like to read?”

 

She had been wondering about Gold’s son ever since her last visit. She’d even made a few discreet enquiries to Ruby but she had been unable to tell her anything. She wondered if she had been out of line, whether she should apologise. But then he answered her.

 

“He does love to read. He loves to play pretend. He loves snow most of all.”

 

“Where is he?”

 

Gold reached for the teapot and poured them both a fresh cup. He seemed to be more open to talking whilst his hands were busy. “Bae lives with his mother in Phoenix. I fly out twice a year to see him on his birthday and at Christmas. His mother doesn’t let him visit here.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

He shrugged. “We’ve been divorced seven years so I’m quite used to the arrangement by now.” Belle reached over to squeeze his hand, but he pulled away entirely. “Forgive me, Ms French. I should not be telling you such things.”

 

Belle swallowed, not wanting him to close off from her. But if he wasn’t comfortable she wasn’t going to push him. “It’s okay. I should probably get back to dusting now.”

 

“A fine idea.”

 

Gold left her alone and Belle felt the warmth leave the moment he did. Whilst she enjoyed seeing the different books he owned, it didn’t feel as much fun without him. As midday moved into late afternoon and Gold still hadn’t returned, Belle decided to seek him out. She found him standing in the garden, looking out at the deep snow.

 

Belle pushed open the patio door to stand with him. The crunch wasn’t quite the same without boots on and her toes were freezing cold but she wanted to make sure Gold was alright. She would hate to upset him. “Mister Gold?”

 

“Hmm?” He was broken out of his trance. His eyes looked her over like he had never seen her before, eventually stopping at her blue socks with little candlesticks on them. “Ms French, inside right now. You have no shoes on.”

 

Belle ignored him, instead focussing on making things right. “I’m sure he’ll come home for Christmas one day.”

 

Gold’s mouth gaped like a fish and Belle wondered once more whether he was going to yell at her. Instead he offered a faint smile, his distress visibly leaving him. “I’m sure you’re right. Now get inside, I nearly lost a toe that way.”

 

Gold followed Belle into the kitchen where he filled a bowl full of hot water. She peeled off her socks and stood in the bowl, no doubt making quite a picture. Belle wondered how many times Gold had had to stand in hot water. “Did you ever make snow angels?”

 

“Oh no, I used to make snow imps. Keep your feet in the bowl; I don’t want to have to reduce your father’s rent because his daughter lost a toe at my house.” Gold opened a closet to the left and pulled out a fresh pair of socks. “Once your feet are dry, put these on. Don’t want you to catch a chill.”

 

Once her feet were dry, Belle got ready to go home. At the front door, though, she hesitated. She wanted to tell him that she loved talking to him, loved spending time with him. But her words faltered. “Goodbye, Mister Gold.”

 

“Goodbye, Ms French.”

 

Belle opened the door just in time to for her friends to walk past. Ruby’s eyes grew wide as she realised it was her. “Oh my God, Belle, what are you doing at Gold’s house?”

 

Her mouth once again fumbled: torn between telling the truth and facing the teasing; or lying and upsetting Mister Gold. But thankfully Gold came to her rescue and he gave her a small push out the door that saw her clutching one of the beams of his porch.

 

“You kick my wall again, French, and I’ll call the Sheriff. Now go on to your delinquent friends.”

 

She stopped herself from looking back as she walked down the drive and onto the road. Her friends all gathered around her, desperate to hear the story of how she ended up in Gold’s home. “I kicked his wall by accident and he made me clean his shelves all day.”

 

It was the truth and while Belle hadn’t minded at all, her friends took it as a personal insult. She tried to play along as they walked to Granny’s, but her heart wasn’t in it. Belle found her eyes straying back to the pink house with no wreath. This time she saw him drop the curtain.

 

\--

 

Suddenly, as if sensing their friend’s restlessness, everyone wanted to spend time with Belle in the snow. She rarely walked past Gold’s house and when she did her friends all shied her away. It was nice, she had missed their fun. But Belle found herself missing Gold more.

 

One day in the New Year, Belle was finally alone to knock on his door. She had to return his socks after all. But while his car was in the drive, no one answered. She continued to try again and again but still no answer. On what felt like the last snow of the season, Belle tried Gold’s door for the final time. Still no answer. As she walked away, Belle saw enough snow on his porch to make a snowball. She threw it at his front door, wondering if that would get his attention.

 

Sure enough, within seconds the upstairs window was pushed open. “I see you have no plans for the day, Ms French!”

 

Belle didn’t even wait before she opened his door and went inside. After a day of feeling cold to her bones, Belle was finally warm. 


	3. Eighteen

“Bye Papa!”

 

A question about breakfast followed Belle out the door but she ignored it, not even looking back as she raced out. As soon as the days had started to grow cold, Belle had woken up every morning and flung open her curtains. And every morning she was disappointed to find no thick blanket of snow. But that morning, _that morning,_ she had woken up to find the first snow of the season.

 

All the children were out playing in the snow. She smiled at every one as she ran through the park, grinning with every crunch of her boots. Oh how she had missed that sound! Eventually she made it to her destination and she stopped, taking a moment to straighten her coat and finger brush her hair. When she was satisfied, she walked up to the house.

 

Rolling some snow off a nearby parked car, Belle packed it into a reasonably sized snowball. Taking aim, she threw it at one of the upstairs windows. A figure soon appeared, opening the window she had just hit. The figure smirked, eyes glinting, and Belle ran forward, her hand already outstretched for the door handle. She knew instantly that she would find it unlocked.

 

Stepping into Gold’s house, Belle felt everything grow warm. It was the house, but in some respects it was the owner. She found Gold in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for them as he did every morning she came over. Belle flicked through the paper as Gold dished up a plate of bacon and pancakes and slid it in front of her.

 

“I bought extra. I had a feeling you might be stopping by today.”

 

Belle grinned as she went to the refrigerator, seeking out the orange juice. “First snow of the season. Isn’t it beautiful?” She paused as she looked over breakfast. “Syrup?”

 

“Top left cabinet. Only the best for you, my dear.”

 

She found the syrup and joined Gold at the breakfast bar. She’d missed this. Ever since the weather had grown cold she had been waiting for this morning, waiting to see Gold with his hair still unbrushed and his shirt untucked, waiting to watch him eat his breakfast and smile at her like she was the best thing to ever blow through his door. For the rest of the seasons she was just Ms French, the girl who helped him out on Saturday mornings. But through winter she was Belle, the woman who he shared his home with.

 

“Any plans for the day?” Gold asked, reaching for the paper.

 

Belle shook her head, unable to stop herself from beaming. “None at all. What about you?”

 

“Was planning to go through the attic. Interested in helping?”

 

She threw him a look over the pancakes. “I’m starting to think I’m just slave labour.”

 

“Not at all! I do believe you come over voluntarily.”

 

Oh boy was it voluntary. She would come over every day if she could; spend every morning across from him. But other than the Saturday mornings she worked in his shop, Belle never got to see him during the rest of the year. It was hard making excuses in spring or summer, especially when her friends were always dragging her elsewhere. Autumn was just as bad – the few weeks she had kicked leaves into his driveway in order to come over had resulted in a few nasty rumours going around the high school that had eventually spread into the town.

 

So Gold only answered the door when it snowed and Belle spent weeks and months waiting for that first fresh snow so she could be right here with him. Right where she was supposed to be.

 

Once breakfast was done they made their way up into the attic. In the four years that Belle had been coming to Gold’s home she had grown to know it intimately. She knew every dodgy door handle and secret crevice; every painting and every book in his library. Belle believed she knew Gold’s home better than she did her own. As they reached the staircase that led to the attic, Gold offered his hand to help her inside. Belle’s fingers tightened around his own, using the force to push her into his arms. He’d long since stopped flinching when they touched. Instead, he just smiled.

 

Their organisation consisted of a lot of searching through old trunks and old boxes and Belle was glad she hadn’t worn anything too pretty over to Gold’s. She usually ended up covered in a thin film of dust. As they searched they caught up, discussing things they didn’t have time for on Saturdays.

 

“You decided on colleges yet?”

 

Belle shook her head as she looked through a couple of mouldy boxes. “Not sure. I’m thinking I might stay in Storybrooke.”

 

Gold made a noise from the other side of the attic. “Like hell you are. You’re getting out of this place even if I have to pay for your tuition myself.”

 

 “Maybe I don’t want to leave. Maybe I have everything I need right here in Storybrooke.”

 

“Oh god, it’s a _boy,_ isn’t it?” Gold muttered, coming over to her side of the attic. His teeth were on edge, his eyes sharp as he looked her up and down. “Belle, my dear, please don’t tell me you’re not going off to college because of some _boy._ ”

 

She was _thrilled_ by his tone. He’d never been fond of her having dates, had positively baulked when she had had mornings off from the shop because she was out with someone else. But it was never serious. After all, how could it be when she was in love with him? ”No, not a _boy._ And who said anything about not going to college?  I’m sure Storybrooke’s institution will be…”

 

“…not worth the paper your degree will be printed on. Come on, let’s take a tea break.”

 

Conversation was momentarily stalled as they retreated to the kitchen for a pot of tea. Their routine, even after eight months of not being there, Belle knew by heart. She remembered where the milk was, the sugar too. She even knew which cups to pick. The teacup, even after three seasons, was still in the cupboard where the others were, still unfixed. Her chipped cup.

 

She was silent as Gold poured the tea. “…I got some very important news yesterday that I’ve wanted to share. I was waiting for next Saturday but now is a good a time as any…and you’re not paying attention. Are you alright, Belle?”

 

She nodded, summoning up all her courage to make her next remark. “I am. Just thinking back to our previous conversation. You know, anyone else would think you were almost…jealous.”

 

“Jealous? Of what exactly?”

 

Belle picked up the chipped cup before he did and brought it to her lips. “Of whomever I might be staying in Storybrooke for.”

 

Gold dropped the jug with a clatter, milk spilling all over the crockery. His mouth tried to work but nothing came out. Belle wondered if he’d thought about her like that for a while, had wanted to make a move but was unable to. But now…now they wouldn’t have to wait all winter to see each other again. They could be together all the time.

 

But before he could finish there was a knock on his door. Gold shot from the counter. “I’ll get that.”

 

She waited for his return, nerves attacking her stomach. When he called out for her she wondered if maybe they were going to talk things over in the sitting room. She didn’t’ expect the door to still be open, and someone she knew standing behind it. “Ruby, what are you doing here?”

 

Her friend tried to smile but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s the first snow of the season; I figured you’d be here. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to catch a movie, and then maybe go sledding?”

 

She had thought she had been so careful, so discreet when she came over to Gold’s. When there had been no teasing, no worried comments, Belle had assumed that no one had known. “Ruby, I…”

 

“She’d love to,” Gold interjected, reaching behind her to grab her coat. “Go on, Belle. I can finish the attic by myself.”

 

Belle didn’t have time to process what was going on.  Her coat was in her hand and her shoes were on her feet and Gold was guiding her out the door. “Are you sure you don’t need me?”

 

“No. Go on, have fun.”

 

The door slammed shut behind them, the snow shaking to the ground. What had just happened? Belle walked onwards with Ruby, quite in a daze. When they hit the road, Belle looked up to see if Gold was watching her go. The curtains dropped suddenly, blocking him from view.

 

What had she done wrong?

 

\--

 

In the days since Gold had kicked her out of his home, Belle hadn’t seen a whisper of him. He hadn’t come through Granny’s, his shop always seemed shut and there was no answer at home. Ruby told her to give up but Belle wasn’t ready to just yet. He was her best friend and the thought of not spending winter with him tore at her heart.

 

“Belle, come on, this is Mister Gold,” Ruby started one afternoon. “He’s cranky and grouchy and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even have a heart. He’s not the sort of guy you want to be messed up with.”

 

“He’s not like that, Ruby. Not when you get to know him. Yes he’s gruff and grumpy but he can also be kind and thoughtful and so very handsome…” Belle trailed off, suddenly losing her inclination to talk with the vomiting motions that Ruby was making. “So I can’t have a crush on Gold, but you can have a crush on the guidance counsellor?”

 

“Hey! Doctor Hopper is a sweetheart. Gold is the Grinch made into human form.”

 

Belle believed they were going to have to agree to disagree on that one. But any further talk was halted by the arrival of several of their school friends, including the athlete that seemed to have a thing for Belle. Greg Vale was tall, with broad shoulders and a muscle mass that put most of his team to shame. All the girls seemed to drool over him, Ruby included. But Belle wasn’t interested. Her eyes were firmly set upon Gold.

 

“Hey Belle,” Greg greeted, nudging her in the shoulder. “Mind if I join you?”

 

Belle hesitated, preferring to spend time with her thoughts. But that was when the door to Granny’s opened and she got her first glimpse of Gold since he had pushed her out of his home. He saw the two of them at the counter and paused, his hand gripping his cane so tight his knuckles turned as white as the snow outside.

 

“You know what, I’d love you to.”

 

Greg gave her a toothy smile as he slid onto the stool beside her. They chatted eagerly while Gold waited at the other end of the counter. Belle made sure to keep running her hands up and down Greg’s arm, giving him smiles she usually only reserved for Gold. The result was an angry pawnbroker storming out of Granny’s without his change.

 

After Granny’s a bunch of them headed to the movies. Ruby kept giving Belle big grins and thumbs up as she flirted with Greg. She felt bad for doing so with no intention of following through but she was sure he would get over it. After all, there was no shortage of girls interested in Greg Vale. On the way back, while the others went to see if they could get into the Rabbit Hole, she and Greg walked through the park.

 

“It’s a beautiful night out,” Greg mentioned, reaching over to take her hand. “I think it might even snow.”

 

Belle looked up into the sky and grinned. “I think you might be right.”

 

They continued to walk until they ended up down a familiar road. Belle knew this road like the back of her hand and apparently so did Greg. He stopped outside the Pink House and stared up at its dark windows. “You throw snowballs at Gold’s home all the time, don’t you? A little rebellion against that bastard?”

 

Belle shrugged. “Yes, I guess. He makes me clean as punishment though.”

 

“Hard work never hurt anyone.” Greg searched around until he found a small patch of snow underneath Gold’s car, forming it into a snowball. “You know that bastard took my Dad’s car? Collateral because he couldn’t pay back the stupid amount of rent he owed. Like that bastard hasn’t got enough money.”

 

Belle could see where this was going and she didn’t like it one bit. “Greg, there’s stones in that snow!”

 

“I know.”

 

With an arm used to throwing footballs rather than snowballs, the compacted snow hit the upper window and broke through, spilling glass inside. Greg immediately ran in the opposite direction, not wanting to get caught. Belle wasn’t sure whether she was supposed to run as well or had been designed to take the blame but either way she couldn’t go. Especially not when the front door opened and Gold stumbled out into the cold, desperate to find the person responsible. His eyes searched everywhere before finally settling on her.

 

“Lovely friend you have there, Belle.”

 

She sighed, walking up the steps to the porch. “I’m sorry. I’ll pay for any damage, I promise. Let me help clear up, please?”

 

Gold nodded and she followed him inside. The window Greg had hit belonged to Gold’s master bedroom, a room that Belle had only been permitted in once or twice to dust. It was a beautiful room, with a large elegant bed and paintings covering the walls. The sheets on the bed were turned down as if he was getting ready to go to sleep. Belle tried to push aside thoughts of Gold in bed and concentrate on the task in hand.

 

“I am very sorry,” Belle said as she started sweeping up the broken glass.  

 

“I know,” he hissed, rubbing his hand over his face. “You know, I thought you had better taste than that. Greg Vale is nothing but a trouble maker who will go nowhere.”

 

“There you go again, sounding jealous.”

 

Gold glared at her, a glare usually used on anyone other than her. “I am _not_ jealous.”

 

Belle stepped over the glass to join him by his bed. She could see his eyes follow the cut of her dress. She usually wore jeans and jumpers to his home, blouses and slacks to work. Pretty blue dresses that cut low on her neckline and thigh were a whole different entity. “You’re doing a hell of a job appearing like you’re not. You kicked me out of the house; you’ve been avoiding me all week. If you’re not jealous, then what are you?”

 

Gold rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Belle, you are eighteen years old. I have no right to be jealous! You should be with someone young, but someone who is not a little cretin who people worship for how far he can throw a piece of rubber.”

 

“So you’re saying I should be with someone intelligent, someone kind, someone handsome?” Belle slid closer and placed her hands on his shoulders, drawing her body into his. “That’s _you._ This isn’t a new crush; this is something I’ve felt for a very, _very_ long time.” No answer, no words of any kind. “I’m eighteen. It’s been legal for two years!”

 

She wanted him to kiss her, to hold her close and make her warm like he always did. But instead he pulled away, putting a couple of foot between them. “Belle, I care deeply for you. As a friend, you understand. Only as a friend.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Belle felt like she had been punched in the gut. All these years she had thought he was holding back because of her age, because it wouldn’t be proper. She had never even imagined that he didn’t feel the same. Belle went back to clearing up the glass from the broken window. Her hands trembled as she swept, suddenly wanting to go home and cry in her bedroom. Gold was talking but she was only paying attention to every other word. Her heart felt like it was breaking. In her distraction, she caught her finger on the broken glass. “Shit.”

 

Gold’s hand was on her shoulder, pulling her towards him. “Belle, let me see.” He examined her finger, blowing any dirt out of it. “It’ll be alright, just a flesh wound. Don’t worry about the rest, I’ll clean it up.”

 

“This is probably why you never let me drink out of that chipped cup.”

 

“No, that’s because I like to drink out of it,” Gold said, wrapping her finger with his handkerchief. His words didn’t register until he looked up at her. “It’s my favourite cup.”

 

“Because I broke it?”

 

She watched his eyes close, his head bob. So he did feel _something_ for her. With his eyes still closed, Belle took her chance and brushed her lips against his. It felt as good as she had imagined, especially when Gold opened his mouth. She kissed his upper lip, feeling his rough skin move against her own. She moved to take his bottom lip between hers but that was when Gold’s grip tightened on her hand, painfully so. They both opened their eyes.

 

She was over the moon. He looked like his world had imploded. “I’ll get you a plaster and then you should really go home. Looks like it might snow again.”

 

He disappeared into the bathroom while Belle stood in a daze. She could still feel the pressure of his mouth against hers, the sensation of his breath on her skin. She could smell his aftershave, could feel the chapped skin of his lips. _He felt something._ So why was he pulling away?

 

“Andrew,” Belle started when he came back into the bedroom. It was the first time she had ever used his first name. “Can we talk?”

 

“Nothing to talk about,” he said as he fixed the plaster around her finger. “Now go on, before the weather becomes too treacherous.”

 

Everything about Gold confused her of late. They went from being good friends to having flirtatious discussions and while he tried to pretend that they were merely friends he did feel _something_ for her. After all, why would he only drink from her cup? Why would he kiss her back?

 

Outside, Belle looked up into the depths of his house. There was no twitching curtains, no drop of fabric, not even a figure brazenly watching out for her. There was nothing.

 

After the warmth of Gold’s home she usually walked back cold. But tonight the chill went straight to her bones.

 

\--

 

It had been an unseasonably warm winter in Maine.

 

No snow.

 

Her father had wanted her working at the flower shop on Saturdays and he’d even told Gold that she wouldn’t be helping him for the foreseeable future. According to her father he hadn’t even put up a fight. With no Saturday mornings and no snow, Belle hadn’t talked to Gold since their kiss. She had no clue what he was thinking, what he was feeling. Her heart was a wreck.

 

But along came a miracle, on Christmas morning no less. Belle woke up to find that it had snowed overnight. Sneaking out of her house, Belle headed over to Gold’s. She didn’t want breakfast, didn’t want to dust his library. She just wanted to see him. She even carried a wreath, what was supposed to be his Christmas present, as a peace offering.

 

Once she was in front of his home, Belle half-heartedly threw a snowball against his front door, waiting for the bedroom window to open. But instead it was the front door that did. Not Gold behind it, though, but a boy. A few years shy of Belle’s age, with a mop of brown hair hastily finger combed and pyjamas with spinning wheels on them. She had never met Gold’s son before, but somehow she knew instantly that this was him. “Morning?”

 

“Good morning. Merry Christmas!” Belle licked her lips, trying to work out her next move. “I’m sorry to disturb you so early; I just wanted to bring this around for your father. He’s been a big help with my college applications and…well, it’s just a little something.”

 

Bae took it eagerly, his hands running over the little berries and powdered snow. “Thank you, thank you very much. Would you like to come in? Papa’s just making breakfast before we go out into the snow.”

 

She shook her head, trying to stop the tears from forming. “Thank you for the offer but I should be getting back. Merry Christmas!”

 

He beamed, his smile so much like his father’s. “And Merry Christmas to you! I think this is going to be the best Christmas ever.”

 

“I think you might be right.”

 

Smiling once more at Bae, Belle turned on her heel and walked down the steps. The snow hadn’t come for her and Gold, it had come for him and his son. Their first Christmas back together, a Christmas where they could both be outside. It was what he had wanted for so long and Belle couldn’t deny that she was happy for him.

 

She just wished he could be happy with her. 


	4. Twenty-Two

“Bye Papa!”

 

A ‘have fun’ followed Belle out the door and she made sure she blew her Papa a kiss before she left. Once outside, Belle began walking in the direction of Ruby’s house. A thick dollop of snow had hit Storybrooke, covering everything from the roads to the high clock tower in white powder. It made it difficult to walk but Belle would make it. She would just have to take it slow.

 

She would have preferred to stay in and spend the night with her father but Ruby had insisted she come to her Christmas party. Considering she had spent her last four Christmases in California where she been studying, it was the least she owed to her oldest friend. She would get to see all her old school friends as well, so it wouldn’t be a total hardship. Sometimes it felt like only weeks since they had all been at the movies, throwing popcorn at each other.

 

But when Belle arrived at the party she only recognised a few people. There was Ashley and Sean on the couch, Sean holding little Alexandra in his arms. She was pretty sure that the blonde in the arms of Sheriff Humbert was Emma, although that was quite a turn of events if it was! Apart from that, Belle had no idea. Thankfully she spotted Archie in the corner, a friendly face amongst a sea of strangers.

 

“Merry Christmas, Archie!”

 

The counsellor smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Belle. It’s great to have you back. I know Ruby’s really glad you’re home.”

 

As if hearing her name, Ruby appeared. “Damn straight! It’s really great to have you back for Christmas!”

 

Ruby reached over to give her oldest friend a hug. Or at least her best attempt at it, her pregnant stomach was getting in the way. Belle had been back in Storybrooke twice over the past four years – once for her father’s fiftieth birthday and the other for Ruby’s wedding to Archie Hopper. And now they were expecting their first little one. Belle still couldn’t believe it. Ruby, who out of all her friends had been desperate to leave town, was now running Granny’s, married and pregnant. And she had never looked happier.  

 

“It’s great to be back and to see everyone. How are things with the little one?”

 

Both Archie and Ruby reached for her stomach at the same time. “Pretty good. Morning sickness hasn’t been too bad. I’m getting harsh cravings for rare steak, though. How about you? Your Dad told us you’re training to run the University Library now?”

 

Belle beamed at the mention of her work. “Yes, yes, I am. It’s great, I love being around that many books. I’ve missed home though, although Christmas is certainly a bit warmer. Forgotten how it much snows around here.”

 

They were soon joined in conversation by Archie’s good friend Marco and Belle eventually decided to investigate the rest of the party. Most of her old friends had children now, or were planning to start families of their own. Emma was now the Deputy, and, according to Sean, Greg was now the football coach. Everyone seemed to be doing so well. But Belle found that after a while she wasn’t even paying attention, she was just watching the snow move in the wind.

 

\--

 

After a few hours wishing she’d stayed in California, Belle found Archie and made her apologies. They arranged to meet up on Christmas Eve so she could catch up with both of them then. But for now she wanted to go home. Outside it was typical Maine weather and Belle huddled inside her coat to keep warm. Unfortunately just as she left the path she collided with someone else escaping the party.  

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

 

“Belle?”

 

She looked up to find that the man she had bumped into was Andrew Gold. She had dim recollections of Gold and Archie playing chess together on Wednesday afternoons but that was four years ago. Four years since she had last seen him. His hair was greyer; there were a few more lines around his eyes. But the flecks of gold in them still gleamed, his smile was still bright. His smile still made her stomach churn. And boy was he smiling at her.

 

“It _is_ you. I thought I saw you at the party, chalked it up to someone else. My god, you’ve…” He paused, chuckling at himself. “It’s wonderful to see you. How have you been?”

 

“Good!” Belle said, a little too eagerly. “I graduated from USC; I’m now training to be a librarian. Everything all worked out.”  

 

He continued to smile at her. “I’m glad. Are you heading out too?” She nodded. “Wonderful. Let me walk you home. Wouldn’t want you to slip on any ice, especially not in those heels. We can…we can catch up.”

 

Belle opened her mouth to tell him otherwise but somehow they just started walking together. They’d never done that before. They’d had breakfast together and worked together and read together and on one memorable occasion made chocolate chip cookies together. But they had never walked together, not like this. It was nice.

 

As they turned out of Ruby’s road, Gold began to talk. “I never got the chance to thank you for the wreath. It was beautiful.”

 

“You’re welcome,” she said, putting aside the bitter memories of four years ago. “Bae seems lovely. Do you have him for Christmas often?”

 

“Mostly. I got sole custody a couple of years back so he lives with me full time now. Unfortunately his mother wanted him this year so he’s in Phoenix with her. I’ll have him for New Year, though.”

 

Gold seemed so different compared to four years ago, less angry with the world and everyone in it. The return of his son had brought him back to his true self. “Must be nice to play in the snow again.”

 

Gold laughed. She had missed that. “It is; it really is. How about yourself? Have you found someone to play with in the snow?”

 

Belle shook her head. “I’ve fell out of love with snow. Being in California you get used to not having it.”

 

“But you could have come home, seen the snow here. This is the first Christmas you’ve been home in four years. It seems more like you’ve been avoiding the snow rather than you have just got used to being without it.”

 

Belle stopped and pivoted, fixing Gold with dark eyes. He wasn’t her friend any more.  He hadn’t been since the night he’d asked her to leave his home. He had no right to talk to her like that, to act like those four years hadn’t happened. “I can go on from here, thank you.”  

 

She left him behind, walking as quickly as she could through the snow and ice. She had nearly made it to the end of the road before Gold called out to her.

 

“I’m sorry about that night!” She didn’t turn around. She didn’t think she could. “I am, Belle. I’m sorry for the way I treated you, that was unacceptable. I wanted to make it up to you but Bae was home and…and then you never came back. I never got a snowball against my window.” She still couldn’t look back, not even when she felt his hands press against her shoulders. “I’m sorry if I was the one that kept you away. I’m sorry if I ruined the snow for you.”

 

Belle shook her head, turning to face him.  He was so close to her. Too close. “I just grew up. Isn’t that what we’re all supposed to do?”

 

He shrugged. “I guess. I just wanted to say that, to make my peace with you. And to say one more thing, if I may.” Belle nodded; surprised as he brushed his lips against her cheek. “I’ve missed you.”  

 

Then, with a faint smile, Gold walked away leaving Belle standing in the middle of the road. She had thought she was over him, that four years on the other side of the country would have put all those memories and feelings in a locked box and kept them there. The sensible thing to do would be to walk away and forget their conversation. Keep everything locked up tight.

 

But then Belle felt the first few flakes of snow fall from the sky. Screw the sensible option. This snow fall was for them.

 

\--

 

When she arrived at Gold’s house there was a light on in his bedroom window. One well aimed snowball like she used to throw would do the trick. She gathered some of the freshly fallen snow into a ball but found it heavier than she had thought. But then it was carrying her heart. Shaking from anticipation, Belle managed to hit her target. The window didn’t open but Belle waited. The light didn’t dim but still Belle waited. Eventually, after what felt like an entire winter, the front door opened and Gold came out onto the porch.

 

“You’re back for five minutes and you’re already throwing snowballs.” The next one hit him straight in the shoulder, knocking the sass out of his smile. “What on Earth?”

 

Belle threw another. “You have no right to do this! It’s not fair!”

 

“Do what?”

 

Another snowball, another shoulder. “Kiss me? Tell me you missed me? I spent four years in love with you and even after you admitted you felt something you pushed me away. What’s changed in the last four years?”

 

Belle reached down to gather more snow and when she straightened she felt a snowball hit her straight between her shoulder blades. She shivered as the cold ice slid down her back and she turned to the man who had thrown it. He was looking at her with an intensity that could melt snow.

 

“You were gone. Four _damn_ years. Do you know how painful that was? For years I had nothing, I didn’t even have my boy. Then there was you and I tried to push you away but you kept coming back. I loved having you, I wanted to keep you.”

 

He walked towards her until Belle was pressed against the door of his car. His hand stroked her cheek, ran across her lips. “I couldn’t be in love with you. The things I love get taken away from me and if I loved you then I’d lose you. But if we were still friends then you would never leave. I never meant to drive you away. Like the fool I was, I always thought you would come back to me.”

 

Belle traced the lines of his face, her fingers running along his jaw, his lips. She had wanted to come back: every time she had seen snow she had thought of him. Now they both had the chance they had been denied before. “Let’s go inside.”

 

They walked into his house together, their hands occasionally brushing each other’s. Inside Gold went to make a pot of tea while Belle made herself comfortable in the living room. She remembered the last time she’d been in here. They’d been reading together, Belle’s legs up on Gold’s knees and a pot of tea between them. It had been one of those afternoons she had hoped to never end.

 

Her trip down memory lane finished when Gold came in carrying a familiar tea tray bearing a familiar cup. “You’ve kept it. All these years and you kept it.”

 

“Of course.” Gold sat beside her on the chaise. “I could never part with it, even when you were just the strange little girl who kept popping over for tea.”

 

They both chuckled at the memory before things devolved into silence. Gold busied himself with the tea whilst Belle sat back against the chaise. The ice had truly slipped down her back and she was finding it difficult to get warm. She needed to focus, this was important. She and Gold were finally on the road to something and she needed all her energy for that.

 

“Here we go, Belle,” Gold said as he passed her a cup. “How long have you been shivering? Come on, we can talk about things later. I won’t have you catch your death. Get out of those clothes and you can jump in the shower, get warm.

 

Were they ever going to catch a break? Belle sighed as she reached to undo her zip. Of course she couldn’t quite make it. “Andrew, do you mind?”

 

A pause. “Not at all.”

 

Her stomach lurched as she felt a hand encircle her waist, the heat of his skin seeping through her dress. The zipper was tugged down but still his hand remained. Belle let out a sigh as Gold blew warm air onto the cold of her back. With the zipper done, Gold moved his hands up to her shoulders, sliding the sleeves of the dress away where it soon ended up in a puddle on the floor. Facing Gold, she watched his eyes take in every inch of her. It was intense, made her shiver more than the snow outside. She wanted him to look at her that way all the time.

 

“You should jump in the shower, get nice and warm. I can lend you a shirt if you wish.”

 

Belle shook her head, instead reaching for Gold’s hands. She was tired of wasting time. “I have a better way to warm me up.”

 

She took his hands and pressed them against her shoulders. She slid them down her arms before moving them across to her collarbone. They grazed her breasts, her nipples tight against the ice blue fabric. Gold bit his lips as his fingers grazed one, hardening it even further. She kept his hands moving, over her ribs and stomach and down to her thighs.

 

“Belle…”

 

“I love you. I’ve loved you ever since I threw that first snowball. And I want you. Do you want me?”

 

His hands left hers and pressed against the curve of her neck, forcing her to look at him. He was smiling, a smile that in four years she had never been able to get out of her mind. “I love you too. And I want you too.”

 

Gold led her towards the fireplace, moving them both to the rug. She kept her eyes open as he kissed her, his mouth taking her top lip for himself. His kisses were languid, determined to memorise every part of her mouth. They continued to kiss until he sought out other areas like her neck, her jaw, the hollow of her throat. His tongue lapped at her collarbone, tracing the edge with just the tip.

 

“Can I take this off?” Gold asked, gesturing towards her bra. Belle somehow managed to nod. “Thank you.”

 

Gold found the front clasp and peeled it away from her skin, throwing the fabric immediately away. He let out a low groan as he saw her breasts for the first time. He warmed his hands by the fire before he continued, pressing hot hands against her cold breasts. The pads of his fingers were rough as they traced patterns across her body, taking their time to dance along her skin. They ran along her nipples, teasingly pinching them one moment and stroking them the next. Belle writhed against the rug, needing more contact.

 

“You’re as cold as ice, my love,” he whispered, letting out a warm breath against her breasts. His mouth then pressed a long, hot kiss to one before taking a nipple between his lips. As his mouth continued its ministrations, his hands started teasing her stomach, her thighs. Eventually his mouth followed his hands, leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses all the way to the line of her panties.

 

“Can I take these off too?” he asked, his tongue tracing the edge of the lace. Belle bobbed her head, wanting nothing more. “You’re so beautiful. I’ve never told you that, have I? I should have done. You’ve always been beautiful. My beautiful Belle.”

 

She lifted her hips to help remove her panties. Despite a lack of clothing, Belle felt anything but cold. Gold’s hands rubbed her thighs, moving up and down as they parted her legs. He laid kisses all the way inside her, his tongue tracing the outside of her folds. Her hands gripped the carpet, not prepared for the pleasure she felt. His tongue continued to chase after every nerve of pleasure; licking at her clit, slowly, deliberately, until she was bucking against his body.

 

“You’re so perfect,” Gold whispered. “My snowflake.”

 

One final lick pushed her over the edge and warmth exploded through her, her body jerking in Gold’s hands. “Andrew…” she cried, her voice not even reaching the end of his name.

 

When she recovered, her mouth sought out his to taste her on his tongue. His hands pulled her closer, needing more of her. Belle attacked the buttons on his shirt, desperately needing to touch him.  

 

“Can I take this off?” Belle asked, the two halves of his shirt in her hands. He smiled at her, nodding. She pushed the fabric off his shoulders as she pushed him against the rug. Her fingers trailed along his chest, taking her time to press a kiss against every freckle, every line. He was so beautiful. As her hands ran along his belt, Belle turned to him once more. “Can I take this off?”

 

He laughed, helping her with the belt. “You can take everything off. You can have everything. You can have me.”

 

“Good.”

 

Together they worked to get his trousers down his ankles, his clothes joining hers. Belle forced him once more against the rug, crawling on top of him. Her hands ran along his chest, then down to his thighs and finally over his cock. He was long and hot under her touch and Belle stroked him once, twice, watching with glee as he threw his head back into the rug.

 

Belle moaned as she sunk herself down on Andrew’s cock. She straddled him for a moment as she adjusted  to the feeling of having him inside her. She had waited so many years for them to be together this way. It was better than she had ever imagined.

 

She reached for their hands, linking them above their bodies before sliding them above his head. Belle started to move, shallow thrusts of him inside her. With every thrust his cock rubbed against her clit and she groaned, her body feeling warm all over again. One of her breasts was in Gold’s mouth, his teeth sucking at her nipple. When one of his hands broke hers and started to stroke along her spine her pleasure overwhelmed her again. With a few more thrusts she felt Andrew do the same, her name whispered again and again in her ear.

 

After her body had stopped jerking, Belle relaxed against Gold’s naked body. She had always felt warm in his house more so than any other. Tonight was no exception, especially as he pulled her closer. “So what do we do now?”

 

“I don’t know. Talking would be a good idea, although not one we’re very good at.” She laughed against his chest. “You know Storybrooke _does_ need a library. I could talk to the Mayor about looking for a librarian. Or we could go somewhere else. Bae is looking to go to NYU next year. It has a wonderful library. And it has snow.”

 

Belle swept her lips against his. “It sounds perfect.”

 

She settled against Gold’s chest once more, snuggling hard against his body. They had plenty of time to talk it all over, starting with tomorrow. With the fresh snow outside, it would be the perfect chance for them to go for a walk. It had been so long since she had heard that crunch. And this time, for the first time in more years then she cared to count, she would have someone beside her.

 

She had missed that crunch, just as much as she had missed Gold. Finally, she had both. 


	5. Twenty-Six

Nothing made Belle happier than the first layer of snow on the ground. As the days had grown colder, she had known it was on its way. Sure enough, one morning Belle woke up and she just _knew_ there was fresh snow. She could feel it in the air, could hear it in those walking past her home. She tried to work out what to do first: take a long walk, build a snowman or throw a couple of snowballs. But it seemed it was decided for her when she heard something collide with her bedroom window.

 

Pushing herself out of bed, Belle opened her curtains to see the remains of a snowball splattered against the glass. She pushed up the frame and poked her head out, looking to see a rather dashing man in a well-tailored coat standing outside. “Who taught you it was alright to go throwing snowballs at people’s windows?”

 

The man chuckled. “My fiancée, actually. It’s how we met. She threw a snowball at my window and from then on I couldn’t be without her.”

 

Belle giggled, leaning low on the window sill. She looked down at Andrew, standing against the backdrop of New York with snow in his hair and a cup holder from Starbucks at his feet. “Is that so?”

 

“It is indeed. We were friends for the longest time but then she decided to see the world and I was lost without her. I’m so grateful she decided to come back to me.”

 

 “Do you want to come upstairs? I’ll warm you up.”

 

Gold thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. “No, I was actually wondering if you’d care to join me for a walk through the snow. Hear that crunch.”

 

“I’ll be right down.”

 

Belle shut the window pane and raced to get dressed. She picked up her scarf that Granny had knitted her and the gloves that Ruby had bought her before she moved. She’d be seeing her, Archie and the twins in two weeks when they went back to Storybrooke for Christmas. But until then it was just her, Andrew and the snow.

 

As soon as she opened the door, Gold pulled her into a kiss. His lips were cold against hers, his breath almost icy. Belle stroked his cheeks, trying to get some warmth into his face. Once they parted they grabbed their coffee and began their walk through the streets. New York was a beautiful city to be in, and Belle couldn’t have imagined any other place they could have made their home. “A beautiful day.”

 

“First snow of the season. It’s almost as beautiful as you, darling.”

 

Belle blushed. “Sweet talker. Oh no, I think I dropped something.”

 

While Gold checked his phone for any messages from Bae, Belle was gathering fresh snow. She formed the snowball and took aim, throwing it right into the back of Gold’s head. He jolted with the force, turning around in shock that she had thrown a snowball at him. When he had recovered he started to laugh, pointing a gloved finger at her. “You’re going to regret that, Ms French.”

 

“Not if I hit you again, Mister Gold.”

 

She managed to get in another snowball before he did, this one thrown against the lapel of his coat. His ball caught the edge of her scarf, the next one her shoulder. They continued to throw snowballs at each other until Gold managed to grab her hand and yank her towards him. The next thing Belle knew, her fiancé was stuffing cold snow down her back.

 

“Looks like we’re going to have to go home and warm you up.”

 

Belle giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist so she could be closer to kiss him. In spring they walked through the park, commenting on the trees. In the summer they went sailing on his boat. In the autumn he walked her to her library, kicking the leaves as they went. But winter was special, the snow more than anything. Snow had brought them together, kept them together.

 

Because of snow, they would be together always; enjoying that fresh fall of snow hand in hand. 


End file.
